News & Insights

The Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations has awarded €10 million in funding for the development of a new scheme or digital trust framework for data-sharing in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector. The scheme will be called the Digital Scheme for the Built Environment (Digitaal Stelsel Gebouwde Omgeving or ‘DSGO’). DSGO will form the foundation for the sector’s ongoing digital transformation, as part of the acceleration programme known as digiGO. INNOPAY will provide support for the development of the scheme, and a centre of excellence for data-sharing in the coming years.

“Addressing the major societal challenges for the AEC sector requires much smarter use of data. A trust framework is needed to enable chain partners to exchange data. DSGO will provide an advanced solution for this,” says Ries Bode (chair of Digiteam and DSGO project lead). The initial focus is on reducing nitrogen emissions by eliminating unnecessary logistics-related transport movements. DSGO is part of the roadmap for clean and emission-free construction (Schoon en Emissieloos Bouwen or ‘SEB’). Within this programme, TNO, digiGO and the Top Sector Logistics are working together to achieve various targets, including a 60% reduction in nitrogen emissions and a 0.4 megaton reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.

“I am very proud and honoured that INNOPAY contributes to the development of the data-sharing scheme, and is well-positioned to provide a centre of excellence for data-sharing to the DSGO programme. The AEC sector is facing several challenges, and the development of this scheme will support the necessary digitalisation. We believe that only with digital trust – full confidence and conviction that the system will work reliably, truthfully and safely – it will be possible to reap the full potential of the digital transactions era. The DSGO programme fits perfectly with that ambition”, says Shikko Nijland, CEO of INNOPAY.

Compliment

The plan to develop a data-sharing scheme is one outcome of the digiGO digital transformation programme, which is actively supported by around 40 leading organisations from the AEC sector. The Dutch government has now committed to contributing €10 million towards the development of DSGO. “This result can be seen as a compliment for all the hard work of everyone involved. There is now not only a shared ambition and willingness to realise DSGO, but also funding. This really is a significant step for the sector,” says Joseph Kuling, chair of the digitalisation committee for the Dutch AEC sector (BouwDigitiseringsraad or ‘BDR’).